Fireproof building construction



Sept. 1, 1931. A. M. HULL FIREPnooF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 4, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y.

7 ,sheets-shet s INVENToR.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. l, 1931. A M HULL FIREPROOF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed oct. 4, '1927 Sept.vl, 1931. l A. M. HULL FIREPROOF BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONl ATTORNEY.

Filed Oct. 4, 1927 Sept. l., 1931. A M VHULL 1,821,015

\ l FIREPROOF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 4, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 1, 1931. A. M. HULL FIREPROOF BUILDING CNSTRUCTION `Filed 001;. 4, i927 7 sheets-Sheet e -IN V EN TOR.

BY ,da f7?, JM

A TTORNEY.

Sept. 1, 1931. A. M. HULL IEIRIEIPROQHF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 4, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR, @/m JM BY Y Mew- ATTORNE Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALV'A M. HULL, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIG'NOR 0F ONE-FIFTH TO FRANCIS D. HARDESTY AND FOUR-FIFTHS T HARRY G. WESTFALL, TRUSTEE FOR NORMA M. HULL, THEL'MA LL'HULL WESTFALL, AND KABEL G.`PICKETT, ALL 0F DETROIT,

MICHIGAN FIREgPROOF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Application tiled October 4, 1927. vSerial No. 223,884.

The present inventionrelates to fire-proof buildings and specifically to the elements for producing such buildings.

Among the objects of the invention are 3 means by which suchu buildings may be easily,

' quickly, and economically constructed.

Another object is means by which v such buildings may be assembled permanently with the use of few tools and without altera- L0I tion of parts.

Still other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawings in which .5 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a art of a completed frame-Work of a building with parts of the walls, floors and roof finished;

` Fig. 2-is a similar view showing a partition;

l0 Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of wall units; l i

Figs. 5 is a view of a door unit;

Fig. 6 is another view of the same installed and partially finished;

Fig. 7 shows a window unit; y

Fig. 8 shows the same in position and partially finished;

Fig. v9 is an` enlarged view showing the means of forming a stud;

0 Fig. 10 is another view of the same disassembled;

`Fig; 11 shows a corner unit;

Fig. 12 shows the same before assembly;

Figs. 13 to 16 show views of parts of the window and door units before assembly;

Fig. 17 shows a roof element; and

Figs. 18 to 21 show details of the rafter I construction.

In the drawings, the house frame-work is shown as erected on a conventional masonry foundation and provided with, steel joists 31. The latter may be supported intermediate their ends by columns, if desired.

channel opening upward and in this channel are placed the wall and other units described more in detail below.4 Upon the tops of these units mentioned is another channel 35a of similar shape and size to channel 35 and this is secured to the wall and other 53. As indicated these units may vback to back and spot welded.

Upon the foundation is placed a metalunits either by bolting or spotl welding.

Upon the channels 35a in the form shown in Fig. 1, are then placed the ceiling joists 36 and the gable end wall units which latter are triangular in shape, where a blank wall is desired.

Upon the channels 35a are also secured the lower ends of the rafters or roof supports 37 and secured at their lower ends by bolting. And upon the rafters 37 are bolted the tile racks or frames '38 serving to support the tile or other roofing indicated at 39.

As shown in Fig. 1, the preferred form of the structure includes the securing to the outside and inside of the wall units, metal lath 40 upon which is applied the plaster, stucco, or other plastic wall surfacing 43 material, while a similar lath 41 is secured to the floor joists 31 and a plastic flooring material 42 ap lied thereto.

s stated above the blank wall units are shown more in detail in Fi s. 3 and 4. These are designed to be standar units for a given height wall and are used in both outside walls and artitions. two gures consist of rectangular frames of sheet metal channels which are ribbed lorgitudinall as at 51 for the purpose of sti ening an to rovide anair pocket when two units are p aced together. The side channels arealso provided with punched out vtongues 52 which are pointed up on one side and down on the other, while the bottom and top channels are provided' with keyholjslot e yo different sizes if desired, and the wlder ones provided with one or more central members 50a which are preferably of two channels 50, These of course need not be slotted. f

The wall units are vpreferably provided with a facecovering on both sides of metal lalth 54 stretched tightly and spot welded -in p ace.l

The door unit is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the latter showing also portions of a finishe door-frame.

vIn these figures a rectangular frame 66 similar to a wall unit is used. The side members are provided with similar tongues 52 The forms shown in theseI 65 cut and flattened inwardly for the greater 5 part of itszintermediate portion. A portionat each end;l however, is left in shape so that another rectangular frame 66 may be constructed Within the main frame. This frame 66 is shorter and narrower than frame 60 but is made of similar channel material. The bottom member is common to both and thetop member of frame 66 consists of a channel 67 extending across frame 60 near the top thereof. While above member 67 upright short double channel 68 and the diagonals 69. The door unit, like the wall v units, is provided with metal lath 70 on both faces over the space between the frames 60 and 66. It is preferred to weld these several parts together as in the wall units.

In addition to the features just mentioned the door unit is also provided at the top and sides with an L-sectionstrip 71,.welded to the channels 66, serving to locate the facing member 72 and as a guide for plastering.

Figure 13 shows in disassembled relation coactmg parts of the several components of a door-frame. l I.

The window unit is shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8, and 14 to 16 inclusive.

This unit consists of an outer yframe 80, similar in4 all respects to a wall unit, having an upper cross member 81 ,near its top, trussed as in the case of member 67 of the door-frame. Near the bottom also is fixed a cross member 82 additionally supported centrally by a double channel 83.

The window unit is likewise rovided with an inner frame 85 consisting o two uprights 86 extending between and secured to cross members 81 and 82 at a suitable distance from the sides of the frame 80 and between the members 86 are fixed cross members 87, the members 86 and 87 being of proper lengths to locate the included rectangle at the desired position and make it of a size suitable for a windowr of the desired size. The members 86 and 87 in the form shown, are of less width than the channel members forming the outer framev and cross members 81 and 82 and are so placed that they align with the inner face of the outer frame 80. The members 87 are provided with the spacing L-section 55 pieces 88 as in the door units but these pieces' 88 are provided with tapped holes 89 for the purpose of receiving the window frame screws. Also, members 86 are provided on their inner ed s with similar L-shaped irons.

00 90," but instea of putting similar pieces on the outer side of members 86, strap ortie members 91 are used. These are short straps or bars having both ends bent at right angles and one end drilled and tapped. The un- 85 drilled end of piece 91 is 'welded to the outer the two frames are trussed as by the central channel as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and thel drilled end is aligned with the face of part 86 and welded. These also` serve to anchor the window frame. After these parts have been properly secured together, metal lath is spot welded on the outer face over the spaces between members 81 and 82 and the top and bottom respectively. On the inside face the lath extends inwardly to members 87 and over the space between members 86 and the 75 side channels of the outer frame.

These units are designed for the reception of metal window frames and easements and stone facings and sills and Figs. 8 and 14 to 16 show the assembly of these parts.

The disassembled parts of one side of a window frame are shown in Fig. 16 in their relative locations, the stone-facing being shown at 92. A similar showing of the top of the window is shown in Fig. 14 with the stone-facing indicated at 93. Likewise a similar showing of the lower side is shown in Fig. 15 with the stone sill indicated at 94.

In Fig. 8, the metal window frame is shown at 95 and the sash at 96. H

A corner unit isf/shown in Figs. 11 and 12, and consists of a double channel 100 formed so as to be the same as two channels 50 secured at right angles. This double channel is of the same length as the other units, and provided with tongues 52. In order to assure rigidity and fix the angular relation an angle iron 101 is fixed to member 100 by welding short bonds 102 to both members and so proportioning the parts that the unit is substantially a square with the angle iron 101 atone corner. `The two open sides yof the unit are covered with metal lath 103 as indicated.

The roofing unit or tile raek is shown in Fig. 17 and consists of a rectangular frame of light sheet metal channel 110 of suitable length to extend from the center line of one rafter to the center line of another, prefer- 'l ably extending over one or two intermediate rafters. The width of the frame should be such that a roofing tile will hook over one side and lie upon the other, or a multi le of such width. In the latter case, the ame will include longitudinal channels 111 dividing the frame equally. Fig. 17 shows such a ,multiple rack which may be considered either a single multiple rack or four racks lFi 18 to 21. The rafter itself is preferab y a sheet metal I-beam 120 ,and .at lthe ridge of the roof the ends are preferably fastened together by welding inside the angle an angular plate 121 with a similar but longer plate 22 on the outside of the angle. Fig.

21 shows two angular plates 123 for securing the lower ends of rafters 120 to the wall cap pingV channels 35a.

It will be noted that the wall units of Figs.

3 and 4 are readily secured together by the tongues 52 as the abutting channel members' are placed together as the tongues 52 on one unit readily enter the opening behind the tongue on the other. The same is true of the wall units and window, door, and corner units as all are provided with similar tongues so Iplaced as to register properly.

t will also be noted that all units except the corners, having. the keyhole slots 53 may readily be bolted to the members lying upon them at top or bottom. p

While the several units are described above as rectangular, it is, of course, obvious that in gable ends as shown in Fig. 1, triangular units must be used, window units for such places, if to be centered, should have a pointed upper end instead of that shown in Fig. 7. .In such window units, however, the members 86 and 87 and their supporting members may be the same.

Fig. 1 shows very clearly the construction and relation of the parts in the outside walls of a building and also the root` construction. 2 shows clearly the construction and relatlon of parts in the dividing walls and floors of such a building and it is not considered necessary to enter into further detail. Now having described the invention and the preferred form of embodiment thereof it is to be understood that said invention is to be limited, not to thespecific details herein set forth, but only by the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim 1. Wall construction for fire-proof buildings comprising a channel member opening l upwardly, a series of independent rectangular units abutting together in said channel and secured together by interlocking members, a second channel member extending over said series of units and secured thereto. and metal lath secured to the outer and inner faces of said units.

2. A unit for wall construction for buildings, consisting of a frame made by securing l together sheet metal channel members with their flanges extendin inwardly, and securing to the two faces o said frame metal lath,

the side members of said frame having punched out tongues of uniform size pointln down on one side member and up on the ot er side member, and the top and bottom members being provided with a plurality of keyhole slots.

ALVA M. HULL. 

